THE DEATH OF HEROD AGRIPPA I

“On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.” Acts 12:21-23

Stumbled across this interesting passage from the great Jewish historian, Josephus that provides a parallel account – with fascinating color commentary – of this provocative snippet of Biblical history.

From Josephus, Antiquities 19.8.2 343-361: “Now when Agrippa had reigned three years over all Judea he came to the city Caesarea, which was formerly called Strato’s Tower; and there he exhibited spectacles in honor of Caesar, for whose well-being he’d been informed that a certain festival was being celebrated. At this festival a great number were gathered together of the principal persons of dignity of his province. On the second day of the spectacles he put on a garment made wholly of silver, of a truly wonderful texture, and came into the theater early in the morning. There the silver of his garment, being illuminated by the fresh reflection of the sun’s rays, shone out in a wonderful manner, and was so resplendent as to spread awe over those that looked intently upon him. Presently his flatterers cried out, one from one place, and another from another, (though not for his good) that he was a god; and they added, “Be thou merciful to us; for although we have hitherto reverenced thee only as a man, yet shall we henceforth own thee as superior to mortal nature.” Upon this the king neither rebuked them nor rejected their impious flattery. But he shortly afterward looked up and saw an owl sitting on a certain rope over his head, and immediately understood that this bird was the messenger of ill tidings, just as it had once been the messenger of good tidings to him; and fell into the deepest sorrow. A severe pain arose in his belly, striking with a most violent intensity. He therefore looked upon his friends, and said, ‘I, whom you call a god, am commanded presently to depart this life; while Providence thus reproves the lying words you just now said to me; and I, who was by you called immortal, am immediately to be hurried away by death. But I am bound to accept what Providence allots, as it pleases God; for we have by no means lived ill, but in a splendid and happy manner.’ When he had said this, his pain became violent.”

FINAL NOTE: THE NEXT VERSE IN ACTS IS “BUT THE WORD OF GOD INCREASED AND MULTIPLIED.” (Acts 12:24) Oh, the difference between the words and power of men versus God!

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eric holmbergonTo Stand or Not to Stand? That is the QuestionThanks for the comment and encouragement, Jon. I will visit your website. And I looked to see if we were friends on Facebook and we're not: an omission that needs to be remedied. There are several Jon Ebersole's listed: perhaps the older gentleman who works with Joni and Friends? Send me a friend request and then post something on…

eric holmbergonTo Stand or Not to Stand? That is the QuestionHey Jeff, great to hear from you! Pray you are doing well. And thanks for the letter. Tells a great story---which is in some cases is broadly applicable to NFL players--and makes a strong point. The problem, IMO, is that it is not always true. I could tell another story that would move people's hearts in another direction. And it w…

Jon EbersoleonTo Stand or Not to Stand? That is the QuestionThanks for your excellent statement Eric. There are many positions of conscience regarding the national anthem, the flag, and ultimate loyalties, that are worthy of respect. And as you so rightly indicate, engagement and taking these issues seriously is to be preferred over taking our country for granted. Another iconic national ce…

Jeff ebelonTo Stand or Not to Stand? That is the QuestionMy father was a veteran in WWII as a Navy Lieutenant. He saw many Marines give their lives for our great nation on the sands of Iwo Jima. Someone recently sent me this letter. I believe it accurately describes the problem we have in our country. Jeff An open letter to the NFL players, You graduated high school in 2011. Your teenage…